10 Tips To Consider While Writing Dissertation Acknowledgements

Keep it Sincere.

Typically this section is placed before the first Chapter of your paper, Generally people find this section easy to write. The tone needs to be sincere and genuine as opposed to full of self-importance. It has to be brief as space that you can devote to this is limited.

Watch your space.

You can use up to one page, that is be double-spaced, with the same font and size that has been used throughout your paper. If your acknowledgements section is too long then it will slightly alienate your from the professionals that will be reviewing your work.

Use friendly language.

The dissertation will have been written using academic language, that is both specialized and may contain technical jargon. Your dissertation acknowledgement statements should be friendly and flow using colloquial language.

Thank you for working with me.

Make sure that the people you have included in the acknowledgements section are actually people who worked with you in some way during the process of amassing information, advising, and editing with you throughout the process.

Make a list.

Take a bit of time to make a list of the people who have had an input or are linked to your dissertation. Make sure that you include the people who have encouraged you; became your sounding board; anyone who was actively involved in your work.

Who not to include.

You do not include people who are close or related to you that had no direct influence on your work (no matter how much you would like to acknowledge family and friends you do not have the space to include them). Include people who have inspired you.

Who did what?

Add the specifics: as to how the people on your list actually helped you. When you acknowledge the person and what they actually did, it not only personalises the support they gave, it also makes that person understand just how much their help meant to you.

The Professionals.

It is important to add the professionals that have helped you in some way in your journey to complete your dissertation. Your list may be very long, so you may only have the room to pick out the academics that have been the most important contributors to your work.

Thank you.

The real nominees for this section are the people who have helped you with research; experiments; surveys; writing up; proofreading and of course the impromptu editing of ideas through discussions.

Details.

When adding your academic supporters you should cite their full name and title. When you are adding friends to your list of supporters quote their name. For a large group of people who have helped you, add the group name.